Digital Color Graphics--Being the King

Digital Color Graphics does not want to be a six-color operation—just yet. For today, owner John Rosenthal is content aspiring to rule the short-run printing market.

BY CAROLINE MILLER

It's good to be the king, and that's exactly what John Rosenthal, owner of Digital Color Graphics, wants to be. "I want to become the king of—and the benchmark for—all small printing companies in the country," he states.

Still, rising to the top can be a challenge, especially in the crowded and competitive commercial printing market. However, for the past two and a half years, Digital Color Graphics, located in Southampton, PA, a Philadelphia suburb, has steadily risen toward the top.

This year's annual sales are projected at more than $1.5 million, and may actually reach $2 million, Rosenthal reveals. Digital Color Graphics is also adding an average of two new customers a week, with most of them being corporate customers.

"We are one of the fastest growing companies in the Philadelphia marketplace, and one of the fastest growing printers in the country," he claims.

So what is Rosenthal's formula for success? It has two parts. First, he specializes in short-run, four-color applications. To survive in a competitive marketplace, Rosenthal knew he had to be different. He made the decision to equip his 5,000-square-foot operation with small-format sheetfed presses, and not to purchase a 40˝ press. Digital Color Graphics operates a four-color Ryobi press, two two-color Toko units and a two-color Multi. For copying jobs, he uses a color Minolta CF900, as well as black-and-white Konica 7050 and Xerox 5365 copiers.

"I was not interested in dealing with the large overhead, large cost centers and the large-format projects that come with owning a 40˝ press. My market is shorter runs; we give a quality piece and a quick turnaround—all in a friendly manner," Rosenthal quips.

The second part to Rosenthal's success formula is mindset. "We position ourselves as a small printing company with a corporate mentality," he explains. "We try to look like and deal with large corporations on their level. I do not want them to think of us as a small shop, other than that we have small prices."

However, lower prices does not mean cheap; he says Digital Color Graphics offers a unique service priced competitively with the marketplace. "We find that the small companies around us cannot do what we are doing, and the ones that can are very expensive," he reports.

Polyester Potentate
So, how has Rosenthal been able to undercut other small companies in his area? The answer: Rosenthal's operation is 100 percent computer-to-plate (CTP).

Adopting an all-digital workflow, he says, generates tremendous cost savings in terms of labor and materials. And because run requirements are short, he images polyester plates instead of metal, with a Panther platesetter from PrePRESS Solutions.

"Most people are amazed and astounded at what we are able to produce using polyester plates," he says. Digital Color Graphics has routinely produced pieces at 175 line screen, and is now experimenting with a 200 line screen.

Rosenthal says CTP offers him more than just lower production costs. "Most people are using CTP as a production tool to reduce costs," he says. "I use it as a selling tool to strengthen relationships with my clients."

The selling point of CTP for the customer is the ability to make quick, last-minute type changes, and be back on-press within five minutes of the correction. "It's almost like an insurance policy. You don't need us—until you need us," Rosenthal says.

While technology has been an intricate part of Digital Color Graphics' success, Rosenthal is not willing to give the equipment all the credit. In fact, it's the human aspect of his company that he praises continually.

Of particular importance to the company's success has been Jim Rosenthal, John's nephew, who is senior vice president in charge of all graphic design, prepress and printing production. He is also the company's computer guru. As such, he oversees the company's 14 Macintosh Power PC computers, more than half of which are G3 systems; two desktop scanners; and two laser printers.

For proofing, the firm relies on a color Fiery and an Epson Stylus 3000. Also, the firm's digital workflow, from order processing to final plating, is integrated through a high-speed digital network.

As his business continues to grow, he is always looking for ways to offer customers more than his competitors. In addition to the printing operation, Rosenthal also offers Website design, development and hosting; signs, banners and displays; customized premiums and promotional products; and the copying business. Rosenthal sees all of these additional services as an indispensible part of doing business.

Rosenthal's philosophy: Digital Color Graphics needs to be a full-service operation—design through fulfillment. Website design and development for companies is a prime example of how Digital Color Graphics offers one-stop shopping. "It adds continuity between a customer's brochures and Website," he explains. "It reduces their costs. Since we already have their graphics, they do not have to go elsewhere."

Self-made Success
Rosenthal, a 27-year industry veteran, began his career in his hometown of Philadelphia, working at his brother's print shop. He eventually worked his way up to national sales manager at Toppan Printing Co. of America, before leaving Toppan to launch Digital Color Graphics. "At the time, I felt the opportunity to do it on my own was either now or never," he remembers.

Rosenthal financed the venture with his own money, believing that the niche market he chose would pay off. "I saw what was happening. Print buyers needed their work faster. Companies were downsizing their print quantities. I saw an opportunity where small-format, short-run, quick printing would become very desirable," he says.

The emergence and the explosion of franchise printers and office superstore copy centers further convinced Rosenthal to make his move. Although growth of copy centers helped persuade Rosenthal to start his own business, he realized quickly that the world did not need another copy center.

"I decided to do short-run printing instead of copying. Although I do offer copying, offset quality is better and the pricing—when you get into the 500-plus range—is better," he explains. "We're still a conventional printer, so we are way ahead of the copy centers. We are faster and offer greater flexibility," he says.

In 1997, Rosenthal began his operations with four people, which included a graphic designer, a press operator and a customer service rep. Today, he has 15 employees and his client list includes Global Furniture, VerticalNet and Disney.

Rosenthal is now looking to expand his operation further. He is currently in the process of purchasing his second four-color press, and a five- or six-color press is on his wish list, as well. He is also looking at real estate to expand his current operation. Future expansion may also come in the form of merging with, or acquiring, other companies.

"To expand outside of the area is not unrealistic. We really believe we have a formula that works."